UPDATE: Morgan County Man Charged With Murder

MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – A murder arrest in a Morgan County Homicide.
Cody Lee Compton is charged with murder in the shooting death of Jonathan Graham Bowling. Bowling was shot and killed in Morgan City Thursday. Investigators arrested Compton Friday night.

Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin says Compton and Bowling were at a mobile home where people were cooking and using meth.
Witnesses told investigators the two argued and Compton left to get a gun and returned. Deputies found Bowling dead a short time later.
Now, officials say deputies are working to get more warrants for more searches. Deputies are questioning other but so far no additional arrests have been made.

20 comments

Jana Lawson

I am Johnathan’s first cousin. I’d really like to THANK YOU ALL for announcing my cousin’s name and information on television BEFORE we, his family, could get in touch with his son, his mother, and his brother.

superman

Jan Lawson

It was extremely inconsiderate to release his name on public television before immediate family members, especially his son, could be notified. It is painful enough for families to suffer such loss, without this kind of exploitation. I feel this is definitely a breach of privacy.

lynne

When a murderer is running from the law the police or the news don’t care about notifying next of kin…that only happens with the victim!!!!! If someone murdered your family member you would want the police looking for the person of interest immediately!!!!!!!!!! He lost His rights to privacy when he decided to MURDER another human being!

Jana, we are sorry for your family’s loss. The Sheriff’s Office at first asked us to withhold the name while family was notified. We did – we always respect that request. The Sheriff’s Office called us later in the night, overnight, and said the name could be released, so we reported it in our morning news on Friday.

jamison-jones

NO LET US GO AFTER THE METH HEAD that caused this death. Dudes on this drug feel invisible to anything. But its gon’ wear off, cody. we gon’ put you in that 8 by 12 with nothing but a metal toilet and 6′ mattress and a worn out blanket. we want you to have one hour of recreation in a cage. oh yeah, lets see how meth wins with this one. in the meantime, no bond till trial and it takes 3 years! you gon’ see everyone bond out and you are just waiting to go to kilby or holman.

KAYCEE

I HOPE YOU HAVE MORE HELP CLEANING UP THE DRUG PROBLEM THAN JUST DEPENDING ON “ANA” HOPE THIS COUNTY WAKES UP AND REALIZES THAT SHE ISN’T DOING A GOOD JOB AS SHERIFF. ALL SHE DOES IS TAKE TRIPS AND CALL THE MEDIA WHEN ONE OF HER DEPUTIES MAKES A TRAFFIC STOP ON A VEHICLE THAT MIGHT HAVE A 2 LITER BOTTLE IN IT. SHE ISN’T WORKING TO CLEAN THIS COUNTY UP, OTHER THAN CLEANING OUT THE SHERIFFS BANK ACCOUNT.

Ruth Stafford

Emily Hunt

I knew cody growing up and this is not like him. He was always very very sweet to my recollection. Just goes to show what drugs can do. My condolences go out to BOTH families, for the loss of these individuals. You all are in my prayers.

Douglas

I have no sympathy for meth heads, past or present. THEY RUIN LIVES OF CHILDREN with their poison and sometimes their own. Good riddance to both. Have you ever seen a newborn baby born addicted to meth. I have and it makes me wnat to make a deep woods wind chime out of the breeders of that poor baby.

superman

Douglas, we have actually adopted 3 children from a meth home that were all born addicted to meth and other drugs. It left all 3 of them with different disabilities that they (the children) have to live with the rest of their lives. It is very sad how the children have to suffer from withdrawals and from the different disabilities. I lift all families involved up in prayer. Meth is a very sickening drug that destroys many lives. Prayers to all.

meghan2014

My prayers go out to both families. But people need to realize that the law says its serve and protect and it’s also JUSTICE FOR ALL. NOT JUSTICE FOR SOME OR MOST. I also know that METH can take over your lives and family and it makes you feel 6’O foot tall and bullet proof but the law also says if you do the crime then you must do the time. I’m not preaching just stating the facts.

steven

Your right kaycee. All the public knows about ana is what they see on the tv and trust me thats the only time u see her. She makes it a point to be on tv. She is a politician not a sheriff. Maybe the public will realize they are paying for trips to the beach for so called conventions she takes 2 – 3 times a year and takes her favorites butt kissing deputies with her. Its election time and time fore her to go and all the over paid cronies she brought with her.

Kaycee

Steven so glad someone else is seeing what is going on!! She has hired her buddies on the counties dime! Deputies who should be getting promotions are looked over because there isn’t room for them and her buds. She wastes OUR money on all these trips and on the K-9 unit (what county dept needs like 8 dogs??) and that flipping posse that doesn’t do anything but ride in parades. And she lied about that posse being at a training location when poor Mr. Payne was found in Lacey. The only searching they were doing at Rock Bridge Canyon was searching for the bottom of a beer can or wine bottle. Ridiculous, she is not qualified for the position as sheriff and I hope she gets beat in the next election. I hope people start doing some research and figure out that she is running this county in the ground. We are such a joke to other law enforcement agencies. Sad.

jamison-jones

No sympathies! Cody killed another human being and he deserves whatever is coming his way.Meth ain’t no excuse. These kids have no B***S when it comes to dealing with any aspect of their lives! They can’t play ball anywhere, can barely read or write, much less form good friendships with people. They only need ‘something’ to give them courage to do what ‘normal’ people do over coffee! whatever issues the deceased had, no one has a right to take the life of another. yeah, see how it feels to sit in for 23 hrs,,eat pig food for lunch and dinner and have another pump your azzz. Bon Apetit, Cody.